Don't hide
by lizziebells
Summary: "It doesn't always have to be like this. You don't always have to be like this. Why do you keep hiding, Damon?"


**Damon & Elena - Don't hide  
**

"Stefan?" I asked as I opened the boarding house front door. Nobody answered.

"Stefan, you there?" I asked again, but still received no answer. Suddenly I felt someone stroking my hair. I whirled around, but saw no one there. I turned back around, I froze. Damon was standing right in front of me, our clothes nearly touching. He was staring right into my eyes, a small smirk lingering on his lips.

"You scared me," I said, walking towards the living room.

"Sorry," he said, following me, sounding _not_ sorry at all. I could almost hear the sarcastic smirk on his face.

"Where's Stefan?" I asked, sitting to the couch.

"Annoying some squirrels, maybe bunnies, I don't know. Don't care either." he said, sitting to the couch next to me. He was still smirking.

"You don't have to be like this all the time you know," I said, looking at him.

For a moment I saw the confusion on his face, but of course in a second it was washed away by the arrogant mask.

"Not following," he said.

"I was talking about you always keeping your feelings locked up behind that arrogant, heartless mask. You keep pretending you don't care about anything else but yourself. Maybe it used to be true, but not anymore." I said.

He got up and started moving towards the kitchen. I followed him.

"What makes you think I'm pretending?" he asked, smirking again.

"I don't think. I know you are. Sometimes, when you're caught off-guard, I can see those hidden emotions, whether angry, sad or confused. I know deep down you really care for Stefan and for.. me. Even though you try to deny it."

The smirk was gone, there was no trace of it. Left was confusion, a bit sadness.

"Sometimes I see pain in your eyes, when you look at me. You think you have it under control and the pain, the feelings are just gonna go away when you're like that, but they don't. It doesn't always have to be like this, _you _don't always have to be like this. Why do you keep hiding Damon? Please, for once, let me know what's going on in your mind." I said, taking a step closer to him.

"You want to know why I keep hiding?" he asked, I could hear the sadness in his voice.

"Because, I've learned, that when you love someone, with all your heart, it gives them the access to break it. and the ones i loved did it," he said, and then, something shocking happened. A tear welled up his eye. That always so arrogant, murderous Damon was crying. I walked up to him and brushed the tears away with my finger.

"You're afraid that someone will break your heart again. You're afraid to get hurt." I said. It wasn't a question. I put my arms around him and hugged him tightly. He hugged me back.

I don't know what I was trying to achieve with my speech, but I guess I just wanted to comfort him, to make his pain even slightly better. We stood there for a while, in each others arms. Somehow it felt so right, so easy. Yet it wasn't even slightest easy. My mind went wandering around. I thought about this, us. Why did it have to be so complicated? Somehow, Damon had become a part of me. And right now that big part, it hurt. It was aching, aching for him. I loved Damon. I always had. I didn't care that Stefan had always said he is a player. That he doesn't care for anybody but himself. That there was nothing human left in him. Only a monster. I had never believed him. This Damon, this Damon here, in my arms, could never be a monster. Maybe he used to be, but not anymore.

Then I realized, that, for once, the heartless, arrogant Damon was gone. In front of me was a heartbroken young man, who lost the ones he cared about, so he started keeping things to himself, locking his feelings up, afraid to get hurt again.

Then he started whispering.

"The hardest thing to do is watch the one you love, love someone else," he whispered to me. "And I've had to feel it twice now. Stefan is _always _everyone's first pick. What is so wrong about me, that no one can ever choose me, Elena?" he was crying again. I felt that pain in my chest again. I needed to show him that I loved him. He pulled back a little, just enough to see my face. His face was filled with endless sorrow. He looked deep into my eyes, hesitating. Then, very slowly, he moved his face closer to mine and very gently, pushed his lips to mine. I felt a wave of shock burst through me, and I'm sure he felt it too, because he shivered lightly. I clung to him, holding him tighter.

When we finally pulled away, I asked "How long?"

He hadn't released me from his embrace, but he understood what I meant and said "Long enough,"

Oh, Damon. That long? That's what had been hurting him so much lately. Me. In Stefan's embrace. He was in pain all this time, and I didn't even care. Oh, Damon, you don't know how sorry I am.

But his face wasn't as sad as it was before. His face was lit up, he seemed happier. He smiled. No, not his usual smirk, but a soft, sweet smile. Not Damon-like.

I pushed my lips to his again, harder than before. He returned the pressure immediately. I felt that same shock go through me, and I rejoiced. I put my arms around his neck and held him tight. Never wanting to let go.

The fact that I was technically cheating on Stefan didn't matter to me. He was the last thing on my mind right now. Being in Damon's arms, kissing him, felt so right. It was easy, everything seemed easy now. As if I truly belonged here, in Damon's arms. Then realization hit me. I do. That's exactly where I belong. In Damon's safe arms.

**Tell me what you think! This is my first published Damon and Elena fanfiction. In fact, I haven't published any fanfictions. Oh, and if my English is off in some places, then just know that my home language isn't English :) And please review :) **


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